One of the releases that garnered the most attention in 2013 was Irkallian Oracle’s “Grave Ekstasis” tape. Released on Kristian Olsson’s obscure tape label, Bolvark, the tape quickly sold out as word spread regarding the quality of both the music and aesthetics of this exceptional release. Never intended to be treated as a “demo” in the traditional sense, “Grave Ekstasis” is an overture to Irkallian Oracle’s continued descent into the nether regions of the spirit. It was conceived of and executed as a cohesive project and meant to be released and regarded as an album – a thematically and sonically complete exploration of the concepts around which the project revolves. The esoteric Death Metal played by Irkallian Oracle superbly reflects the interwoven traditions of Death and Black metal with the arcane ritualistic nature of the latter subsumed within the physically oppressive structure of the former. Considering this is the first release from this band, it seems obvious that Irkallian Oracle is poised to assume a stature commensurate with other similarly oriented bands such as Dead Congregation and Necros Christos. The lyrical and conceptual framework of Irkallian Oracle is equally impressive – the depth of the non-musical content on this recording requires particularly intense immersion to fully apprehend. Due to the praise immediately heaped upon it, the “Grave Ekstasis” tape sold out rapidly. Thus, when NWN! approached the band about working together in the future, the logical first step was to release “Grave Ekstasis” on vinyl and cd for wider distribution as Irkallian Oracle prepares for it’s next highly anticipated album.

Japan’s Abigail has been a flagship band in the NWN! camp since the beginning of the label’s existence. In the more than 20 years of Abigail’s existence the bands has undergone a noticeable stylistic evolution from sinister Yakuza Black Metal to the band’s later period of sexualcoholic Street Metal Thrash. Up until the mid-1990s, Abigail was known exclusively for its Black Metal sound and ranked alongside Sabbat and Sigh among Japan’s most evil exports. The handful of demos Abigail released between 1992 and 1996 saw Abigail ushering in its malefic strain of Black Metal and securing for the band a prominent position among the elite bands within the genre’s Second Wave emanation. Abigail’s debut album, released by Modern Invasion in 1996, highlights the manner in which Abigail infused its traditionalist Black/Thrash approach with eccentric embellishments. The album, “Intercourse and Lust,” stands as a monument to the Far East Black Metal sound. When NWN! was still in its infancy, YK Insulter reached out to Abigail to seek approval to commit this legendary album to vinyl. Abigail agreed and, in 2002, NWN! released the LP, which became one of the first and most highly regarded releases on the label. Later that year, with the assistance of NWN!, Abigail made its first landing on U.S. soil and committed unholy acts before American audiences – monumental gigs that secured Abigail’s prominence in the West. “Intercourse and Lust” has stood the test of time and is as relevant in 2013 as it was when it was initially released. Driven by Yasuyuki’s bass combined with Youhei’s drums, the album is solidly anchored. Former guitarist Yasunori guided the band through searing, off-kilter Black Metal tracks such as “A Witch Named Aspilcuetta” and “Confound Eternal” while also steering more traditional Blackened Thrash oriented tracks like “The Bone Hunter” or the hammering frenzy of “The Crown Bearer.” “Intercourse and Lust” showcases the ability of the three-piece band to deftly interpose elements of myriad styles into the overall sound of the album. Yasuyuki’s familiar vocal rasp adds the final sonic flourish. The lyrics on “Intercourse and Lust” are noteworthy because many of the songs were written by Chuck Keller (Order From Chaos, Vulpecula, Ares Kingdom) and bear the evocative and poetic mark of his lyrical imagery. Juxtaposed with Keller’s lofty lyrical approach is the street-gutter violence of tracks like “Attack with Spell” and “Hail Yakuza,” the latter of which concludes the album with a series of Yakuza film samples. As Abigail’s popularity has grown dramatically through the past decade, “Intercourse and Lust” has assumed the stature of a classic album. NWN! is honored to make available once again this masterpiece of Far East Black Metal on vinyl._________________Contact: nwnprod@gmail.com
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